ARMI
GAZETTE OF THE REGULAR
T
NAVY
JOURNAL.
AND VOLUNTEER FORCES.
VOLl'MK V. � xumuk 1� WHOLE NUMBER
19. I
m
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1867.
i SIX DOLLARS VKR YKAK.
� SIN4II.K tol'IEd, �I KTKEN � E NTH.
lav and Transportation .
iiier�........'..........
Import of ........r i Onuit.
rle|ful�r st Wot l'oint...
M. �. LLU, 8.........
Vertane Nevai Matter�..
Indtana In Montala......
Th� ����...............
New Book�.......t......
Foreign Corraiipondahe�. l'anuiim-l of Ih. Indian Puti�
NIMHEK SIXTEEN.
Corel�� Military arnl Naval
Horn�.......................�
j44:Ot'it�rat Orant and Army Re-
34* ductlon......................152
LWTn� Navy....................Xf
��|���� IVraonal...............sm
iiefourtn-martlaj................264
240)Our Men of War..............2m
IttOjAbatreet of ����� Order� for endtng l >.� ^-V-'!''l'.,;'�s��tity.
that the soldier, long deprived of it, is irresistibly tempted to go to the other cxtrene, and spend it as fast as possible. He throws it away on trifles, and in many cases, if he has leave � absence, gets
Congress can well amend our navigation laws so as to conform to the practice of Great Britain, and allow King Theodore a fair chance on the high
sens.
drunk on it as rapidly and thoroughly as possible. It is not too much to say that a great part of the drunkenness in the Army results from the irregularity in the pay. The long interval from one payday to the next is fruitful in preparing the soldier to indulge himself, anil the large sum he receives furnishes him with the required means.
In Congress, Mr. Washburn, of Indiana, lias already called attention to this subject, and the Committee on Military Affairs is now considering the practicability of paying the Army regularly every week. It is possible that ihis may lie considered as going at once to the other extreme. But this is not so. In no army in Christendom arc so long intervals in pay permitted as in ours. In England, the troops are paid every day; iu France, we believe, every three days; in Prussia certainly every five days; and we are inclined to think there is no country in Europe where soldiers (unless actually on the inarch) are paid less often than once in ten days. But our service allows two months' arrears, and in practice this two may become ten. We must believe, therefore, that to pay the Army every week or every ten days would not be going to the other extreme. It would only be conforming our practice to the well-tested practice of other nations.
Some time since wc took occasion to comment upon the evil effects resulting from the detail of light artillery for duty on the frontier or against the Indians. Since then we have been shown a letter from an officer of one of the light batteries, in which he represents the state of his command as really deplorable. He writes: " The battery is in pretty hard condition at present, as there arc so many recruits, and we have had no opportunity of drilling, etc., since the last of May until a month ago. It has been the only company at the post, escorting people, repairing telegraph line, and keeping it clear for about seventy-five miles, scouting, building quarters, stables, etc." We know not who is responsible for this state of affairs, but it certainly is not for such duty as this that the ten light batteries are maintained by the Government at so great an expense.
The experiment of sending batteries of light artillery on the frontier and on Indian service was tried years ago and found to be a lameutublc failure. The batteries ceased to be buileiics, and in this inefficient and useless condition cost the Government four times as much as they would at a proper and accessible station, where they could be kept efficient and render proper service. This led the author of the tactics for the arm, at the suggestion of one of the ablest generals in the late war, to pronounce Indian or frontier service as '� foreign to the object, and unsuitable to the character of artillery duties.*' Though experience still continues to demonstrate the ill effects to the arm and the service produced by such details, the practice is, nevertheless, persisted in. It is time that a change was effected, and wc know of no better plan than that suggested in a former article�the concentration of several batteries at eligible stations. We urge upon those in authority an early and favorable consideration of tliis question, in order to prevent serious injury to one of the most necessary ond important arms of the service.
We see in the Congressional reports a resolution of Mr. Chandler in the Senab: declaring our neutrality in the war now existing between the governments of Great Britain and Abyssinia.
Some of the learned Senator^ thought these resolutions a joke: but it is by no means certain that Great Britain will think so very long. King Theodore ran furnish quite, as many sailors and officers as did the "Southern Confederacy." and the same use of our |>ort� us was conceded by Great Britain to the " Confedelafrv *' is all that his llajestv ile-in 'lie igentf It hi� Ma' any people in the world. As for our small arms, he declares that " no converted breech-loader In this country or in Europe which is superior to the converted Springfield musket," ami that " none equal to it in serviceable qualities can be produced at less cost." As to heavy ordnance, ho declares " our heavy cast-iron cannon are the cheapest and most effective guns that are j�r.v,,i hj am nation." This i- u* the point, an 1 satisfactory.

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